Taking Away My Butterflies
by dorac
Summary: "Right…whatever," Bakugou answered in a nonchalant manner, "Say hi to that busty nurse for me by the way. What was her name again? Yoyoru? Yoyozu? Or was it Momo…" Todoroki rolled his eyes and pushed the red hair away from his eye, "Just go before I call security." Drama romance and mystery/ mainly todomomo with side izuocha
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: Thanks to ten-shika on tumblr for letting me use their AU idea! I changed a few things but generally following the idea. This fanfic has todoroki x yaoyorozu, deku x ochako, tsuyu x tokoyami and possibly a few other pairings. Reviews and comments are appreciated! I have so many ideas for this fanfic, and ratings may have to change in later chapters but we'll see._

Chapter 1

"They say cats have nine lives. I personally think you beat all the cats in this world 'cause clearly you have twenty lives."

"I don't give a shit. Just wrap me up so I can leave."

Doctor Todoroki sighed as he threw an alcohol wipe at the blond man. The rough, grumpy firefighter sitting in front of him was a friend of his since high school, and as long as Todoroki can remember, that man hasn't changed one bit. Bakugou was still always angry, barbaric, angry, unmannered, impolite, VERY angry….and the list can go on.

For the last year or so, Bakugou had been visiting the emergency in Yueei Hospital every week. Todoroki was clueless as to why the blond man can still be alive after all the injuries he acquired from his job. In fact, the Yuei Hospital might as well be Bakugou's second home.

"Here. All wrapped up and good to go." Todoroki's face was stoic, "See you next week."

Bakugou ran his finger along his bandages and smirked, "Ya bet I'll be here next week."

"If you are still alive that is."

"Fuck you Todoroki."

Bakugou was about to open the door when the tightly wrapped bandages on both of his forearms restricted him from movement.

"I got it," Todoroki swiftly opens the door for the injured man, and gestures for him to exit, "Seriously, hope you don't get yourself killed on your next shift."

"I CAN HANDLE ANY EXPLOSIONS," Bakugou yelled and Todoroki's hand quickly covered his mouth.

"SHHHH…this is a hospital you idiot!"

"Right…whatever," Bakugou answered in a nonchalant manner, "Say hi to that busty nurse for me by the way. What was her name again? Yoyoru? Yoyozu? Or was it Momo…"

Todoroki rolled his eyes and pushed the red hair away from his eye, "Just go before I call security."

* * *

"Uraraka Ochako, did you say your name was?"

The girl looked at the receptionist and nodded her head. She knew her arms were shaking as she held the hiring package closely by her chest. Her firm grip tightened as she watched the receptionist typing away on her keyboard. This is it. Her first day in the rehabilitation clinic at Yuei.

"Please follow me" Uraraka's eyes followed the receptionist as she rose from her chair, "You are to report to the Head Nurse of your arrival, and she will make arrangements with you."

Uraraka swallowed hard. Every step she took was made silent from the cushioning of the plush carpet underneath her feet.

"Thank you so much…" Uraraka managed to say, but the last word came out more like a squeak. Her face turned red from the mishap, and she quickly headed out the door towards the Head Nurse's office. That was a poor habit of hers whenever she was nervous-her voice squeaks.

Nurses and Doctors were either running or speed walking around her, and Uraraka can only imagine what lies beyond the doors to the surgeon's room. She took a deep breath and smelled the quart sanitizers and bleach that lingered, which of course she was already used to. The receptionist pointed towards the right corridor and gestured for Uraraka to move along.

"If you go straight into this hallway, you will see the Head Nurse's office to your left. It's the second door."

Uraraka nodded her head again, making sure not to say a word because who knows if she would squeak again.

She could see that the office door was left ajar and she knocked on it slightly.

"Come in" a soft yet demanding voice said. The girl opened the door and noticed an old lady sitting inside with paperwork all over the desk, "Ahh, you must be Uraraka."

The older lady stood up, her short stature made Uraraka feel a little big for some reason, but the aura that came from the older lady was almost intimidating.

"Everyone calls me Recovery Girl here" the elderly woman said. She gestured Uraraka to sit down and she handed her a file, "I've seen your grades and your references Uraraka, and I decided to give you a job slightly different than what you are expecting".

Uraraka looked up in surprise just as two papers slipped out of her grasp, "what do you mean by that?". The young nurse bent down to retrieve the lost papers, and she noticed one was a picture of an old man. Sunken sockets, shadows below the man's eyes, and hollowed cheeks. This man looked as if he was endured a famine and only skin and bones were left of him.

"Who…"

"That's All Might."

Uraraka's eyes widened and looked from the picture to Recovery Girl, then back again.

"How can this be?!" Uraraka exclaimed, her right index finger traced the gaunt figure on the paper, "But All Might is…was…"

"Yes, he is still a very high profile celebrity. A philanthropist, a saviour to many, and—"

Before Recovery Girl could finish, Uraraka mumbled "—a hero."

"What happened to him?"

Recovery Girl let out a small sigh, "I need you, Uraraka Ochako, to take on this task to help All Might rehabilitate, and help him lead a journey to recovery. You will know the details once you read the report I gave you. This is a highly confidential request from All Might himself. No one knows he is here, and that _that_ man is who he has become now."

Recovery Girl started to slowly pace around the room, "We need to keep the paparazzi out of the loop. It is Yuei's responsibility to keep All Might's secret in closed doors. Only you, me, and a few other people know. Do you understand the consequences and the importance of this task?"

The young girl gulped .Who would have thought that her first job after she graduated was to help a celebrity? Let alone All Might? This must be a dream of some sort. So many thoughts were floating around Uraraka's mind.

"I understand."

* * *

Yaoyorozu was a girl with a simple mind. Scratch that actually. Simple wasn't her style, and no matter how long it takes her, she will never figure out which wrapping paper to use for Jirou's best friend anniversary present.

Yes. They made a 'best friend forever day' and as silly as it sounds, it's actually a really heart-warming day where Jirou and Yaoyorozu spend a 'girls date night' together. It was initially Jirou's idea since after graduating post-secondary, both of them rarely had time to see each other in real life. Most of their interactions were via emails, watsapp messaging, facebook messaging, and the occasional phone call, so what a better idea than to have a designated day where they HAVE to see each other?

This year, Yaoyorozu told Jirou to come over to her house for dinner. After that, they're going to watch a movie, which the dark haired girl still have no idea which movie to rent (yes, she is against illegally downloading movies. Many people think she is strangely concerned about morals and ethics).

As Yaoyorozu was about to tape the last corner of the gold and red stripped wrapping paper around the boxed gift, the doorbell rang abruptly, startling her. She straightened her skirt as she rose from her seat and stumbled across the hall to the door.

"You're here!" Yaoyorozu opened the door and Jirou wrapped her arms around her friend, "I missed you so much."

"Me too!" Jirou quickly took off her sneakers and handed Yaoyorozu a bag. Inside there was a card and a small gift wrapped with wrapping paper full of saxophones and other instruments. Jirou was a musician after all. Yaoyorozu grinned and dragged Jirou by the arm towards the dining room.

"I've prepared roasted chicken with pan jus, and mashed potatoes tonight, and your gift is on the table" Yaoyorozu opened the cupboard for the plates, "I wonder what you got me."

Jirou smiled slyly, "Oh, just a gift card to Victoria's Secret and some chocolate. I was thinking you might need some money for lingerie now that you're working at Yuei and surrounded by hotties."

"Jirou!" The girl exclaimed frantically, cutting her best friend off.

Yaoyorozu's ears were turning red from embarrassment. Ever since she showed Jirou her pictures of the doctors she has worked with (Jirou requested it by the way), she has not stopped bugging her.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop!" Jirou giggled, "Kidding. I won't stop until you get yourself a man, Momo!"

"Yeah, after you get yourself one"

"Never, all the guys I know are dickheads. You on the other hand, are practically swimming with the best fishes in the sea".

Yaoyorozu threw a napkin at her, "All the guys I know aren't interested in me and I'm not interested in them".

The clinks of metal as Yaoyorozu plated the carved chicken onto the plates were mixed with noises of laughter and giggles, and when it was time to actually eat, Jirou pulled out her phone and showed Yaoyorozu something on the screen.

"Okay? What's with this picture of this…boy? Man? I can't tell, he looks really childish" Yaoyorozu mused and her lips tugged upwards in grimace, "Why are you showing me this?"

"How about this guy?" With a flick of Jirou's finger, another picture showed up on the screen. This time, a man in his late-twenties appeared, he had black spikey hair, with noticeable dark circles under his eyes. Despite that, the man looked sort of attractive, in Yaoyorozu's opinion at least.

"He's okay"

"Great, I'll set you two up then."

"WAIT WHAT?" The girl with the pony tail almost spat out her mashed potatoes, "Wait, no no NO NO. I don't want any of that blind date type of thing again. It did not go well last time remember?!"

"Last time, I set you up with the wrong guy and I apologize" Jirou smirked, "I swear this time it will be a lot better. Please, you might really like him. I showed him your picture and he said you were super good-looking by the way, its honestly going to be the—"

"You showed him my picture?!" At this time, Yaoyorozu was about to throw her chicken at Jirou, "Oh my goodness, this is so embarrassing"

Jirou clasped her hands together and her eyes got watery, staring at Yaoyorozu with glinted eyes works everytime, "Pretty please, do this for me?"

Yaoyorozu looked at Jirou with a frown, "You go on a date with that guy then. Not me."

"Pretty pleaseeee" Jirou would not back down with her eyes looking like she's about to cry.

Yaoyorozu looked away, and closed her eyes. Jirou is too good with persuading her, she is not going to give in she is not going to give in she is not going to—

"UGH FINE" The girl scoffed, why does she give in everytime?! She doesn't know. But its Jirou so she kind of feels like she has to.

"YES! SUCCESS!" Jirou raised her hands in a cheering motion, "OK, I'll let you know the details tomorrow. You will not be disappointed!"

Yaoyorozu could only grab her head with both hands and grumble.

"Oh my god, what have I gotten myself into."


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: Thank you so much for all the reviews! Shout out to Narcys, Darkitty04, Guest x 2, Not a Tenshi, and duckduckgoose for all the lovely messages. My motivation comes from my readers and I am happy that at least there are those who enjoy this fanfiction! I'm looking into posting my fics on AO3 so for the people who go on AO3, you may find my fics there real soon. Please READ AND REVIEW!_

* * *

The morning after Jirou came over was one of the most hectic mornings that Yaoyorozu has ever had in her life. The fire alarm went off at 4 am in her neighbour's house so she had to evacuate along with them in case the fire got out of hand. Luckily, a team of firefighters came and suppressed the fire. The kitchen of her neighbour's home was greatly damaged but other than that everything was fine. The amount of smoke that dispersed throughout the neighbourhood was too much for Yaoyorozu to handle and seeing that she didn't want whatever lung damage could come out of breathing that stuff 24/7, she decided that she had to find another place to stay for the next week or so as soon as possible.

Yaoyorozu opened her shiny, white Lexus and ensconced into the plush, leather seat. Who to ask though, that was the question. Most likely Jirou, but her best friend was an awfully busy (not to mention well-known) musician so staying at her place seemed quite inconvenient.

Glancing over at the digital clock, she sighed notably and rubbed her aching temples. She barely had any sleep and she had to start her shift at 7. She gave her keys a slight twist and the engine revved to life. McDonalds was her best bet for a quick morning fix and looking at her rear view mirror one last time which was showed a foggy reflection, she left the driveway.

Driving there, however, was a challenge. Her concentration was wavering and her drowsiness was threatening to overcome her as she was on her way to cholesterol heaven. It didn't help that Jirou left her nearly 24 messages about her 'blind date' literally right after she left her house the night before. Yaoyorozu only read the first few messages before she went to bed, and they were all about this mysterious man who looked like he needed to catch up on 10 years of sleep. The only word to describe the feeling that Yaoyorozu had about the date was the word 'regret'. Scratch that. Two words actually-'Total regret'.

 _Why did I say yes to Jirou again?_ Yaoyorozu parked at the back of the restaurant and wondered about what Jirou meant when she left the words "red captivates all men' in the second message that she sent. So was Yaoyorozu supposed to go shopping for something red now? A glimpse of her wardrobe flashed in her mind and she quietly laughed at herself. Grey, black and white were the only colours that filled her dresser. Basic and simple was Yaoyorozu's motto, and if she had to 'captivate' her blind date by getting a new outfit in red then maybe this guy was as shallow as the others that she had met in the past.

After ordering a breakfast English muffin, Yaoyorozu sat down at the nearest empty table to read the rest of Jirou's messages. Maybe she should give Jirou a text and see if she could stay over at her place given her situation. But first, the messages. The black haired girl gave each unread message a skim and scoffed at all the outfit recommendations Jirou gave her. One of the messages read:

" _Remember that bustier tank top you had? I luv dat one, it makes ur boob look so good. If I liked girls I'd go for u"_

Oh god, Yaoyorozu almost choked on water reading that. Next was a reminder of when and where the date is supposed to be.

" _Ok, 7pm Flying Beaver Pub on Thurs, don't be late and I already gave him ur phone so dun worry about not being able to contact him. He told me he gonna phone u on the day of_ "

Thursday is two days away and Yaoyorozu had nothing planned. Thinking back to the most recent blind date that Jirou forced her to go to made Yaoyorozu sigh. Last time, the date was at a beautiful restaurant at the Hilton Hotel. Unfortunately, the guy was so boring, Yaoyorozu had to gobble up the dinner and make an excuse to go back home as fast as she could. He didn't talk at all and just sat there like a statue whenever Yaoyorozu tried to initiate a conversation. If this date at Flying Beaver is like the one before, then Yaoyorozu might as well not show up.

* * *

Todoroki was never one to be late. Until today that is. Somehow his phone alarm didn't go off and he woke up thirty minutes after his intended wake time. Cursing under his breath, he quickly threw on some clothes that were lying on his sofa and brushed his teeth and sped out the door. Apparently someone was coming for their residency/doctor training today and Todoroki was to mentor the new graduate. Being late is clearly not the first impression that he wants to project.

His hair was still a mess when he rushed down the hallway of the hospital after he parked his car, but his white and red hair was always so distinct that no one ever cared about his hairstyle anyways. It's convenient but sometimes, Todoroki wished his hair was just all white. The red clashed with everything he believed in and it symbolized something that made him tremble with anger every time he looked in the mirror.

A familiar face caught Todoroki's attention and he snapped out of his thoughts immediately as a green-haired man who was dressed in a doctor's coat turned to face him.

"Dr. Todoroki, here you are," the man, who looked way too young for his age, gave a grin that brought back so many memories for Todoroki. Todoroki's eyes lowered to the nametag that was pinned perfectly horizontal on the man's coat.

 _Midoriya Izuku_ , it read.

"Wait, Midoriya, you are the one doing the residency here?! I haven't seen you in ages!" Todoroki had a smirk as he said it. The man opposite him laughed.

"Yeah well, two years to be exact," Midoriya mused as he walked beside Todoroki.

The two were friends since high school, and seeing that Todoroki was known as one of the prodigies and geniuses of the class, they went separate ways when Todoroki was accepted to University when he was 17. Consequently, Todoroki was accepted to Medical School when he just reached 20 which was an exceptionally young age. Given the busy schedules that plagued both of them, they contacted each other very rarely and eventually, stopped altogether.

"Anything new with you, Doctor?"

Todoroki took note of Midoriya's sarcastic tone that lingered with the last word as they entered the office.

"Nothing much," Todoroki gestured for him to take a seat, "Busy as always. New employees coming and going from the hospital so it's always a chore to get to know everyone and getting used to the new team rotations."

The green-haired man scoffed at the response and Todoroki gave him a quizzical look.

"What's so funny"

"Just how you mentioned how it's hard to get to know everyone. Just like old times."

Todoroki's lips tugged upwards into a slight grin, "You know me. I didn't come here to make friends."

Midoriya looked around and noticed how organized and neat the surrounding was. Clearly, Todoroki is still like his old self-prepared and always ready for what's ahead.

"We gotta catch up sometime," Midoriya pulled out his phone and seemingly typed something, "Let's see…..do you work late usually?"

Todoroki thought for a moment, "Not usually, but you never know with this job."

"Alright," Midoriya placed his phone back into his pockets, "We'll figure something…."

A knock on the door disrupted the men's conversation and when Midoriya turned his head, Yaoyorozu was standing there holding a few files tightly around her chest. She glanced at him and nodded at Todoroki.

" , the Head Nurse told me to give you these files," the girl laid it carefully on top of the cabinet to her right and she smiled at Midoriya who took note of her beauty and grace. She had an air of confidence that surrounded her. No, that would be incorrect. An air of sophistication and maturity is a better description. He can see that she seemed to be the type to be full of potential and thus, should be quite confident; however, the aura that she gives off had a turbid sense of uncertainty.

Todoroki thanked her briefly and waved his hand towards Midoriya.

"This is Midoriya Izuku. He will be our newest addition. For now, at least. He's under my supervision for the term," Todoroki stood up and placed a light hand on the nurse's shoulder. His touch set off something in Yaoyorozu and she couldn't help but flinch a little. Her eyes didn't leave Todoroki's and her cheeks and ears were turning slightly pink.

"This is Yaoyorozu Momo. She's one of the most trusted nurses here, and she's usually working with my team. In some circumstances, she will assist you Midoriya", Todoroki said in a monotonous voice. Yaoyorozu couldn't help the grin that appeared and she frantically waved her hand to protest the praise that Todoroki gave her.

"No, I'm honestly just very normal, and uhh…yes I do agree most of the nurses here are amazing but for me…I think I'm…" Yaoyorozu's quipped, "Im uh…"

The hand that was on her shoulder held her tighter for a second, "Yaoyorozu"

The way he called her name calmed her down, and she realized how embarrassing she was in front of the new graduate.

"Anyways," Yaoyorozu stood straighter to smooth out her uniform, "I should go. Nice meeting you Midoriya." And with that she left the room.

Midoriya grinned.

"So, Todoroki….you didn't come here to make friends huh?"

* * *

Thursday night came in a blink of an eye. Thinking about what will happen with 'eyebag' man was making Yaoyorozu anxious. A pretty bottle stood poised on top of the dresser and the girl reached for it.

Two spritz of Jo Malone's Wild Bluebell cologne was all it took to make Yaoyorozu smell like a sweet, summer breeze. Despite saying that she didn't want the blind date, something sparked in her at the thought of having an outing with a guy. _Maybe Jirou was right_ , she thought, _I do need to meet some new people_.

She tiptoed over to a full length mirror as if she were wearing 5-inch stilettos and she was surprised by her own reflection. It has been quite a while for the girl to play dress up, and it's certainly been awhile since she put on eye shadow and mascara. The red (yes she ended up buying a red dress from Guess) cocktail dress she wore hugged her curves perfectly and the short side slits on the side emphasized her toned legs. Yaoyorozu smiled and was about to tie up her hair when suddenly her phone rang. She quickly rummaged her pile of clothes and found her device hiding underneath a hoodie.

"Hello?" She picked up, and she knew it was Jirou.

"ARE YOU READY?" Jirou sounded so excited she might as well get herself a blind date.

Yaoyorozu has been staying at Jirou's place for the past few days since the incident with her neighbours, which to Jirou, was the best way to 'monitor' and see Yaoyorozu's prep work for the date.

"Yes," Yaoyorozu's answer was brief, "I'm heading out now. Come to think of it, why is HE not picking me up?"

Jirou laughed, "He gets off right before the meeting time so I told him you can just meet him there. He may call you to check where you're at so make sure your phone has batteries!"

Yaoyorozu looked at her reflection one more time, taking note of the loose thread that hung beneath her right arm. She swiftly tugged at it and it gave way.

"Alright, thanks Jirou," and the black haired girl hung up.

Although it sounds as if Jirou is really nosy about Yaoyorozu's love life, deep down she just wanted someone to take care of her best friend. Yaoyorozu protested every time about how she doesn't need a man and all those other excuses she made for herself, but sometimes she felt lonely. Her family has a business outside of the country and ever since she started her nursing program, her family left to expand the business. Making friends was awfully hard in university. Either they befriend her because of her family status or they would be friends for a semester and then lose contact in the next. Yaoyorozu was truly grateful to have Jirou by her side.

* * *

Entering the pub, Yaoyorozu displayed a small 'v' sign with her hand at the hostess to motion for her to seat her at a table for two. The hostess smiled brightly at her and led her to a booth on the left, close to where a bunch of neon lights were hung. A bunch of sleazy looking men at the bar looked over at Yaoyorozu and exchanged glances with each other. The girl rolled her eyes at the voyeuristic gazes and sat down. She looked around to assess the place. The brick walls looked tacky and worn out but the overall ambience of the pub was very much like a vintage boutique. The air smelled of liquor and olives and Yaoyorozu took note of the empty bar.

 _That's odd_ , she noted, _where was the bartender?_

Brushing that thought aside, she reached inside her purse to take out her phone. She needed to check where her fashionably late date was, but before she could do that, someone tapped lightly on her shoulder.

"Yaoyorozu," the familiar voice sent a chill down her spine, "what a coincidence."

Turning around, she recognized the dark grey v-neck wool sweater, and the signature red and white hair of course.

"UH Dr. Todoroki!" Yaoyorozu wanted to bang her head against the wall at this point. Of all times, her colleague is here during her blind date?!

And not just any colleague, mind you, it's TODOROKI SHOUTO. The man she has admired ever since she started her job at Yuei Hospital. Can this week be any weirder?

"I told you, you don't need to be so formal," Todoroki motioned at the seat in front of her, "May I? Or are you waiting for someone?"

Yaoyorozu hesitated a smile, "Yeah…of course! Please, sit."

Unknowingly, she started playing with the hem of her dress and nervously started to organize the salt and pepper containers on the table. Todoroki cocked an eyebrow.

"You seem a little sick," Todoroki then started to lean forward, inches away from the poor girl's face which was as red as can be at this point.

"Let me feel your forehead," Todoroki said, "You might have a fever."

 _This is so cliché,_ Yaoyorozu thought as she quickly leaned backwards away from him, _why do I feel so damn hot?_

Just when Todoroki was about to place his palm against Yaoyorozu's face, a dark, spiky haired man walked over. Both of them turned to face him.

"Are you Yaoyorozu Momo?" The man started. The girl nodded with her face still brushed with tints of pink.

"I'm Dabi," he reached his hand out for a handshake.

"I'm the guy that Jirou introduced you to."

* * *

 _Author's end notes: YES finally Dabi is introduced. I'll be sure to add more todomomo scenes for the next chapter. Were you guys surprised it was Dabi? What do you guys think todoroki's reaction would be to seeing Yaoyorozu's 'blind date'? Leave me some comments_


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, I shouldn't bother you and this…friend of yours," Todoroki said and stood up.

Todoroki had not the faintest inkling of what this was about. Nonetheless, he wasn't one to pry and he knew his manners. He left the table with a small smile that graced his lips directed at Momo and then the same friendly one at the stranger in front of him.

Dabi returned it, mouth crinkling upwards but said nothing.

Momo had a hard time keeping her eyes away from the departing guest.

"Have a seat, please," Momo finally said and she sucked up a big huff of air to fill her lungs as if that would provide her with just the right amount of encouragement.

Dabi seemed to like the way she greeted him, catching a glimpse of her tender yet nervous grin. He pushed the candles that sat flickering in the middle of the table next to the salt and pepper shakers in their little steel basket, and sat down after he shifted away from Todoroki who was retreating back to the bar.

Dabi shuffled over, hands on his side, then laced his fingers together on top of the menus.

"You look beautiful."

Momo gasped, unsure what to say next. The statement came out of him so naturally it made her wonder how many times he used the same line to start a conversation.

Thinking back, she had a long history of guys who never sat right with her or were too engaged with their own agendas. And so, tonight, she decided to break her no-dating streak and take the risk.

Being complimented right off the bat was definitely on her list of expectations, but knowing how to react to it appropriately was a skill Momo hadn't perfected yet.

Dabi tilted his head as if luring for an answer, a tuff of hair falling over his forehead.

"Thank…you," Momo finally replied, and her fingers wrapped around the edge of her seat.

She took a short 30 seconds to study his appearance as the man in front of him stretched his back onto the cushion of the booth.

He certainly welcomed it.

Momo took note of his eyes first. They were like distant oceans; hidden aquamarine and artic.

His tanned skin complimented them even more, making them conspicuous and inviting jealousy.

Her gaze travelled downwards; the shirt that hung on his broad shoulders was a plain shade of cobalt, and the v-neck hidden within was white-not too tight, but just enough to see the hard outlines of his muscles, which Momo found herself staring at for far too long.

Dabi may not be the most charming guy she had met, but there's an air of mystery to him that was begging her to find out more. And she's not certain if that was a good thing or not.

"I appreciate you studying me for so long but should we order first?" Dabi asked, and cleared his throat once, almost chuckling at how shy she became at an instant.

Momo looked down at her menu and opened onto a page titled 'Dessert' and quickly thumbed to the pages prior.

"Uh, yes of course! I think… I'll have tonight's special." She straightened herself, squirming to find the right spot, and tried not to tense up.

"Great choice, looks like we think alike. I'm going to get the same thing, like usual."

The girl flashed him a thin smile. People tend to agree with the others when they first meet to get their approval; to appease them. Dabi sounded much like that type of person, but a keen advice that her parents used to give her was to avoid assumptions.

Momo felt a jolt in her chest. She really shouldn't think about them in the middle of a date.

Just then, Dabi turned to grab a waitress' attention and she clanked her tray down at the counter and rushed over with a sway of her hips. While he was ordering for the both of them, Momo held her chin in her palm, legs crossing and uncrossing, just watching with a mild eye.

"And that's all for now, thanks."

The waitress nodded, shoved her teeny, spiral-spined memo pad into the pocket of her waist apron, and left them to their peace.

Dabi took a sip of the lemon water in front of him.

"I've heard some things about you from Jirou," He began, "but she didn't tell me exactly how gorgeous you are. And I mean it. I don't tend to throw compliments around, you know."

Momo felt uneasy, thoughts running through her head as Dabi took another swig. Jirou must have blabbed on and on about her, and it was sort of frightening what could have left her mouth.

Though, come to think of it, her best friend hadn't told her much about Dabi. She decided that she'd like to hear it from him. The primary source.

"So, Dabi, tell me a little about yourself. Jirou hadn't said much and told me just to meet here." The girl playfully wrapped a fallen piece of hair behind her ears and ignored his previous statement. "It'd be nice to know more about what you do and your hobbies. General stuff."

It was Momo's turn to quench her thirst. The noise level was getting a little bit louder now, and for a moment, she felt like someone was watching them.

Wrapping her fingers around the glass, condensation cooling her fingertips, she hoped that it was her coworker.

But that'd be very, very silly of her.

Still Momo became very self-conscious, lips touching the rim of her drink as the hipster, neon sign beside their table shining "It was all a dream", the word 'dream' designed in cursive, tainted Dabi's face with a cunning, red hue.

Dabi's voice intersected the clink of a fallen ice cube.

"Well," his voice was one notch above a raspy growl, low, "to tell you honestly, I was doing time in the slammer for the past few years and just got out."

He's been to jail? For what?

The girl opened her mouth, quickly accessing her inventory of vocabulary, but couldn't decide on the right string of words to respond with.

"HAH. I'm just joking with you," Dabi started to laugh, seeing her awkward pause, and Momo exhaled.

"Oh my gosh, I thought you were actually serious. You got me there!" The girl felt a bit sheepish at her guillable demeanor and watched as her date casually combed back his dark hair with his fingers.

She would've thought it was attractive if the arm he raised above his shoulder wasn't exposed, showing an array of scars.

As a nurse, Momo could tell anyone that those burns on his arm weren't normal.

Her eye traced one- a grotesque, gray-ish purple one that looked almost fresh, running three inches above the bend of his elbow.

"How'd you get those, if I may ask?" She questioned, eyes unmoving, "That looks very serious."

Dabi dropped his arm. "Oh, don't worry about it." He twisted his arm towards him and scrutinized his own skin as if he didn't know he ever had them.

"Did you get them recently?" She asked.

Perhaps this wasn't a great way to begin a date, she thought. She knew she could be obsessed with her work at times.

"Oh, no definitely not," he did another chuckle that sounded quite genuine, "I used to be a cook at a restaurant down South before I moved here, and I'd be lying if I said fryers don't get these on a daily basis! Let me tell ya, one time, my coworker got doused with hot oil 'cas he dropped a basket and the oil just ricochet onto his scalp, leaving him absolutely hideous. Like Deadpool. You know deadpool?"

The scowl on Momo's face appeared for a second. She didn't want to dwell on the details further.

"That sounds horrible," she said and was relieved to find their food arriving, though after hearing that anecdote, she wasn't sure if she still had the appetite.

The waitress tossed their plates haphazardly in front of them. Tonight's special was roasted lamb shank which was usually her favourite.

She chewed on her first bite of piping hot food, scents of cardamom and cumin entering her senses and Dabi continued his autobiography.

"So after I moved here, I took a break from the kitchen and just met a bunch of people and started my own gig. I play electric guitar and still do. That's how I met Jirou. And I'm glad too, she's famous in this part of town, isn't she?"

"Ya, she's my best friend, and I know just how hard she worked to get to this point of her career."

"Yeh, I commend her for that. Man, I wish I could go somewhere with my gig too, but I guess we'll see right?"

Momo swallowed her third piece of lamb, which was on the side of unchewed, and coughed at his comment.

Dabi seemed like a great guy, but people who just wander through life with no particular goal ahead of them really scare her.

Jirou and warned her that her high expectations for guys would be a hurdle but Momo had convinced herself that she had lowered them significantly, and righteously so, becoming more open-minded than before. Her upbringing had really influenced her choice in men; like looking through rose-coloured lenses, her mother used to say.

She gobbled up her water and thanked their attentive waitress for filling it up before smiling again.

"You're okay? Drink more water first," he said with a caring touch.

"No I'm fine, sorry, I guess this blind date thing got to me." She faked a giggle, which ended up more like a scoff but he didn't notice.

She could mentally feel Jirou scolding her already.

"Well enough about me then, _princess_ ," he said, a cross between tease and sly, and she winced at the stress of her new title, "Tell me about yourself. I heard you work at a hospital and you're apparently very clever. Jirou gave me deets, as I mentioned, but hearing it again would be nice."

Deets. Definitely not how people say the word 'detail' here in Kamino.

"Oh of course!" Her enthusiasm might have been overboard. "I've been a nurse at UA Hospital for the past few years and I guess you could say that I'm very, very in love with what I do. I'm a bookworm and Jirou probably told you about how I like yoga. I'm looking into learning calligraphy as well, just for fun."

Momo paused and stabbed at a roasted potato, it rolling off the fork before she tried again, and Dabi acknowledged with a few nods.

"Sounds like you're a very active person, Yaoyorozu."

"You could say that."

The bottom of her heels brushed against his leg just as he draped his forearm over his side of the table.

"And how are you with the patients? Are they really hard to deal with?"

Momo's laugh drowned with the r&b in the background, "Oh no, well, some are kinda crazy, but that's to be expected. Being a nurse really takes a toll on your emotional state."

Dabi seemed interested, lips pursed for a bit as he took what she said in thought as she picked up her last pea.

"Any patient you feel particularly connected with?"

His question prompted Momo to knit her brows, words stumbling a little, "Um, I won't use any names, but there was this grandpa who really reminded me of Santa and he would do the cutest chuckle," Her face brightened like the bulbs hanging above them as she continued, "Don't tell anyone but I particularly like to care for elders."

Dabi let out an awkward cough, "That's very nice." He didn't seem appeased, "Anything else special at work?"

Was he trying to enter the medical field as well?

The table shook again as she uncrossed her legs and she felt the stare of the table across from them. The curvy blond with the big curls and hoop earrings, clearly the head honcho of the group, began whispering to her friends, huddling together with palms cupping their mouths.

Nosy women on their monthly girls' night out she's guessing.

"Sorry, I really can't give much detail other than that. It's really nice that you're so intrigued by my job though," Momo said and she could hear the squeaky giggles of their neighbours, piercingly high-pitched, slicing through Rihanna's song blasting through the speakers. "Most guys I've dated before couldn't care less."

Truth be told, most men she had tried forming _any_ kind of intimate relationship with complained that she was married to her job. Momo _couldn't_ deny it and _wouldn't_ deny it.

It was her dream to work in the Yuei hospital.

But in the back of her mind, the hazy image of her MCAT score pulsed painstakingly fast, like the heavy metronome on top of her piano, and she shut her mouth.

"Well, ain't that a shame," Dabi noted as though he had seen what was in her mind and gulped down the last bit of his water before throwing his used napkin to the side.

He swung a leg off the seat.

"The night's young and looks like we're both done." He stretched out his neck, muscles visible, and slid a 50 dollar bill from his pocket to the bottom of his glass. Momo eyed him curiously.

"Shall we hit the dance floor?" He asked, "Doctors did advise me to do more exercise."

"Really? Last I remembered, a recent patient got appendicitis from moving too vigorously after a meal."

"Well, I guess we gotta dance…slow then."

Dabi gave her a half-smile before standing up, offering an extended hand to her like a high school boy asking his overly shy friend out to prom.

She was still bothered by his arm, covered in discoloration, though at the moment that detail seemed monumentally unimportant.

Momo scooted over, remembering to step from heel to toe in her heels as advised from a YouTube beauty guru she watched months ago, and grabbed his hand.

Calloused, but very warm, she noted.

"I'm just warning you, I can't dance," She added, smoothing out the wrinkles of her dress, and he guffawed.

"Today's your lucky day then. Neither can I."

* * *

The mahogany in front of Todoroki was stained with pen marks, most likely permanent, and the usual splat of dark-colored liquor. The scribbles were barely readable but he could make out most, which were what he'd expect to be impulsive declaration of loves, random doodles and incoherent phrases with curses imbedded within.

He squinted at them, hoping that would entertain him until his companions arrived.

Just minutes earlier, Midoriya texted Todoroki that he had invited Kaminari along for the night as well. Kaminari attended the same mundane high school as they did, though Todoroki wasn't exactly sure what he was up to nowadays. He answered Midoriya rather hastily in agreement before waving a server over, giving a knowing gaze over at the missing bartender.

He clearly remembered years ago when everyone was busy signing yearbooks that he would have a reunion with his high school mates, Midoriya and Kaminari included.

People always told each other that they'd 'keep in touch', but in reality that's euphemism for 'I'll look for you when I need to'.

The off-duty doctor ordered a whiskey neat, which was his go-to, when one of the servers trotted over. She uttered a 'thank you' and winked at him in a hopeless attempt to flirt, pen almost slipping out of her grasp when she shakily slipped it into her pocket.

Her conscious decision to embarrass herself was met with a stoic nod from Todoroki who was too used to these encounters. He shifted back to the liquor cabinet across from him, blue iridescence reflecting off the glass window of the display case, and glanced again at his phone.

7:49

Click. The screen faded back to black.

A heavy sigh notified Todoroki of the absent bartender's arrival. The middle-aged man had leapt back behind the counter, tugging and fidgeting with his striped, black-and-white tie before quickly whipping up the orders that had piled up, appearing apologetic.

His hands clasped together in front of him, and his eyes naturally glanced to the side at Momo's table as he awaited his order.

 _I should give her some privacy_ ; the momentary thought crossed his mind.

A rather plump woman, not to mention drunk with tomato red cheeks, blocked his view, an obstacle he had not expect, and he found himself leaning back to get just the right angle.

Todoroki caught the exact moment when Momo was laughing about something, teeth flashing.

He didn't feel any different seeing her so carefree, but wondered out of sheer curiosity what her date had said that warranted such a delightful expression on her face.

He turned back around when he heard the ice cubes in his glass chime and if he hadn't mistaken, someone snickered right after, to his right.

It was the bartender, and his fingers held tightly around the bottom of the cylindrical glass.

"You want to go talk to a girl over there? I can look after your drink for you," he offered, voice heavy with a French accent.

Todoroki shook his head. "No, I just thought I saw someone I knew. It was a mistake."

The bartender shrugged. He pushed the coaster closer and darted away to his cocktail mixer, preparing the next order.

He picked up the glass with a light hand and took a sip, enjoying the smooth acidity coating his tongue before taking another mouthful of the malty liquid.

Often than not, he treasured the time he had in solitude.

"Yo, Todoroki!"

A hefty slap on the back startled him from reorganizing his thoughts, and he turned to the squeak beside him.

Kaminari had pulled up a stool, arm still draped over Todoroki's shoulder, emitting a radiance that he never lost from high school.

His hair was as yellow as Todoroki remembered; the lightning black streak caused by whatever DNA anomaly that possessed him was still sticking out like a sore thumb, and the wide, goofy smile cut his face in half. Todoroki stared at the superman-themed belt around Kaminari's waist and grimaced.

Sadly, his fashion sense was still as gaudy as ever.

"Kaminari, haven't seen you in a while," Todoroki uttered, voice ascending in tone, and he heard a sound behind him. Both of them turned around to find Midoriya arriving as well.

"Sorry, I'm late!" Midoriya jumped onto the seat next to Kaminari, pulling his leather crossbody bag over his head. The bag dropped with a thud in front of his feet. The green-haired man had on weary eyes, dark circles underneath crinkling as he attempted a grin.

Todoroki wasn't surprised though; such is the life of a doctor.

Kaminari let go of Todoroki and wrapped an arm over Midoriya.

"Hey, how's DOCTOR Midoriya doing, huh?"

"I'm fine," the man replied and directed a gaze behind his energetic friend, "Todoroki and the other doctors are really looking after me in the hospital. I really appreciate it. I mean, I was worried for a long while but you know how it is, especially my mom, she just won't-"

"Chill out dude, you're doing your mumbling thing again." Kaminari uttered and patted him twice, hard, aiming to knock the fatigue out of him, before waving the bartender over.

"Two sleeves of Asahi," Kaminari ordered right away and Todoroki cocked an eyebrow. Kaminari knowing exactly what Midoriya would order just proved how much time they must've spent together since they disbanded from high school, something Todoroki regretted in retrospect. But he doesn't say anything, and instead, wringed his brain for an effective conversation starter as he took yet another swig of his whiskey.

He recalled his performance review in the hospital stressing how much of an asset he was to the team, but what was written on top of a sinuous underline were the words: interpersonal skills need improvement.

It's hilarious. Years ago he would've made fun of himself for thinking that his future job would only entail saving people. Reality is, the art of _talking to his coworkers_ was also a transferable skill that he needed to master.

Sucks being human.

Todoroki lowered his glass.

"So Kaminari, what are you doing nowadays."

"Oh, I'm a firefighter now! Just started a week ago."

A blink.

Todoroki knew what was coming next.

"I'm actually working with Bakugou! Isn't that funny?"

"Ah. Interesting," Todoroki said nonchalantly and cleanly severed the conversation.

He mentally slapped himself. This is exactly why he needed practice socializing.

Fortunately to Todoroki, Midoriya joined in as the bartender returned with their ice cold beverages. Kaminari looked thrilled, grabbing onto the glass like he hadn't had a beer for years.

"Todoroki says that Kacchan always shows up at our hospital. He gets hurt a lot, doesn't he?"

"Well, knowing him, I ain't surprised dude," Kaminari scoffed, "Gotta tell ya, he's super hardcore and he takes his job really seriously. He literally yelled at a trainee who was with me the other day 'cas we 'didn't run as fast as he did'."

Kaminari's fingers scratched imaginary quotations in the air, and continued, "I was already like, leaping! I was running so frickin' fast, I was worried I'd trip over the curb! And you know, the fire was at a luxurious neighbourhood, you know, like famous singers and actors, actresses, whoever, lived there, and I mean it! You name it, and they probably have a house there! I don't wanna be falling face flat on the sidewalk when the paparazzi comes man!"

Todoroki saw Midoriya force down a yawn, facial muscles tense as Kaminari went on and on. He wondered if the green-haired man was actually listening or sleeping with his eyes opened, and gradually, Todoroki craned his neck to the side.

The lingering gingery sensation of his whiskey collided with the sweetness of the aroma that dispersed from the glass under his nose, and he found his icy eyes jumping across the people that were bunching up near the dance floor, to his female coworker and her friend.

They weren't at the table now, he observed, still picking up slight bits here and there of Kaminari's longwinded speech, and was surprised that they had their hands interlaced, maneuvering themselves through the crowd.

Momo looked ecstatic, cheeks colouring a bit as the both of them found a comfortable spot, moving their bodies along with the rhythm of the music that was nearing its end.

The song changed after a few seconds— a slower paced rendition that one may consider romantic.

Todoroki watched as she hesitated to drape both of her arms around her friend's neck before the latter said something that softened her expression to bliss. Momo finally gave in and secured her arms around him.

Todoroki smiled. He was truly happy for her and hoped he would remember to congratulate her tomorrow if they were working in the same shift.

They had known each other for a period of time now, enough for him to grasp her personality and dare he say, understand most of the thoughts that ran through her head.

Momo was hired around a year after Todoroki had made his round in Yuei, and the two had started off with timid nods and eager words that never left the the tip of their tongues. Soon, however, they began to warm up to each other, the dialogues between them elongated minute by minute.

He recalled clearly the day when both of them had met. The girl accidentally spilled coffee on his shoes in the cafeteria, and she was so embarrassed, he thought she would've run out the door to buy him a new pair. It wasn't until Todoroki faked a laugh simply to calm her nerves had she stopped.

He never told her, but some of the doctors had started to make jokes about their relationship after that incident, for obvious reasons.

Someone tapped on his shoulder and Todoroki pursed his lips, thoughts never finished.

"Todoroki, can't believe I'm saying this but, are you checking a girl out?"

Of course that was Kaminari.

"No, I'm not." Todoroki snapped his neck back to his drink, ignoring the heated stare of his friends.

Kaminari didn't give up, however, and traced a finger along the side of his beer before leaning forward, eyes narrowing for better focus.

"You looking at the blonde over there?"

Todoroki knew he meant the girl that was flaunting her assets in a tight black number, and rolled his eyes.

"Or…Oh, hey, the super cute one in the red dress with the jet black hair! I remember seeing her!"

The doctor swallowed hard, and turned to see Midoriya scratching his head and tilting over the counter to get a better view.

"Todoroki, isn't that the nurse I met? Yaoyorozu?"

Guess the secret's out.

"Yeah! I'm sure she was the one outside the fire I was talking about! She left quite an impression, running outside in a lace silkie. That thing was short, I tell ya."

Kaminari sounded awfully proud as if that was the most valuable thing he had said all night, and Todoroki shot him a look of disapproval that made the former felt like a slap on the face.

Todoroki twirled the glass in hand after Kaminari settled with a gulp, and was glad she was safe albeit the revelation dawning on him that she had never mentioned anything to him about a fire.

Well, to be fair, they weren't _that_ close to be disclosing everything about each other's day.

He did notice that, similar to him, she was quite reserved in her demeanor as well.

Perhaps that was why he felt so uncharacteristic of her to be willing to hold someone else's hand and sandwiching their bodies on what appeared to be a first date.

It was none of his business though.

Midoriya wiped his lips with the back of his hand and leaned his cheek lazily against it; his face was beginning to heat up, as expected of a lightweight, and if it were possible, the fatigue that pooled under his dull eyes seemed to have grown.

It's shocking that he still had the energy to talk, Todoroki thought.

"It's good that she got out safe!" Midoriya was probably exerting his body just saying that one sentence.

Kaminari followed with a heavy, "MM" as he chugged the rest of his beer.

"I know dude! I heard," the yellow-haired man set the glass down and gestured for the two to come in closer, "I heard from Bakugou that someone sneaked into the house and cut off the gas pipes before setting it on fire! The owner of the house had most of the house fire proofed though, luckily, so it was basically only the kitchen that got totally destroyed."

Todoroki and Midoriya exchanged glances.

"That sounds pretty serious doesn't it? Why isn't the news all over this?" Midoriya questioned.

"Well, like I told you, a lot of wealthy people live there, the case isn't closed, but police is suspecting that it's another lunatic celebrity stalker that probably went cray. Come to think of it, that hot nurse must be pretty rich to live there."

Todoroki shrugged. "I don't know, she's pretty humble."

He mentally took another note to ask her about this tomorrow and frowned when Kaminari sneered slyly, tapping his foot against Todoroki's stool.

"Do me a favour and introduce her to me?"

"No."

The way Todoroki deadpanned caused Midoriya to scoff out in amusement and Kaminari pouted childishly before the bartender walked over to offer another round of drinks.

The usual Chainsmoker song that Todoroki recognized was on repeat everywhere, came on, muffling the voice he had in his head.

When did Yaoyorozu become so popular with men? Or perhaps he just never noticed?

He peered over, the girl still dancing with the taller man.

Todoroki shifted back, noticing his friends' comical expression as the bartender cracked a joke. But he wasn't listening.

* * *

The questions he had from last night continued to dawdle in his mind, as if sprouting legs and taking a stroll in circles, and when Momo bumped into him in the hallway right before he was on his lunch break, the questions became even more pressing.

The clipboard in his hand stopped its annoying clacking sound, standing an inch or two over her as she granted him a wave, her lustrous ponytail swinging a bit as if it had a life of its own.

Momo radiated a luminous glow that proved to be quite contagious and Todoroki returned her grinning face with one of his own.

" , how was last night? Had fun with your friends?"

Even when she spoke, she sounded unusually joyous.

He wondered if she saw him with Kaminari and Midoriya, or was she so concentrated on that she had just said it to make small talk. Todoroki opted with the latter.

"Yeah, it was great catching up with some people." He answered and jabbed a finger to the corridor in front of them, "You heading over to the cafeteria too?"

"Yes! I'm looking forward to the apple curry they have today, Dr. Todoroki."

The two walked beside each other at arm's length in the hushed hallway, him only walking behind her when colleagues were scampering by. Todoroki loosened his shoulders and slanted a gaze at the reticent nurse who was casually humming away Canon in D, if his knowledge in classical music did not fail him. He hadn't seen her _this_ lively ever since the time at the staff gathering months ago when they ended up the night chugging someone's homemade mulled wine and dancing to the Macarena.

He was just a spectator though. He wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near a dance floor.

Within a minute or two, the cafeteria's sign was in sight, people's chattering riding on a faint breeze that entered from the AC unit. Todoroki rehearsed the questions that was poking at him like a thin needle to soft flesh and figured that the best time would be when they were more stationary.

Which reminded him.

"Yaoyorozu, you want to sit together?"

The girl was occupied with the drink menu as they turned around the corner; it was normally very busy but today, it was somewhat subdued.

She skimmed over the choices quick, dodging around a nurse that bolted past, and said, "Yeah, sure, of course. But I don't think we need to save seats. It's a quiet Friday."

"Mm, okay."

He gulped.

"Actually, Yaoyorozu, I have a question."

 _More than one actually_ , he thought, but didn't bother to clarify, seeing her smile at him, welcoming what he had to inquire.

Right when he opened his mouth again, the irritable cafeteria lady ushered them forward and they both shuffled a step over, and she tilted her head.

"Yes?"

"This might sound like it's coming out of nowhere, but do you live somewhere close to a recent fire that happened?" Todoroki knew he sounded like a stalker at the moment, but he cared for her as a friend so his dignity will have to wait.

"Yeah, I do, how'd you know?" She was totally confused.

"My friend, uh," He paused for a second, rewording what he wanted to say lest he came off creepy again, "well one of my friends work as a firefighter and he –"

"Oh, is it Bakugou?"

"No. It's not him. Someone else –"

"Dr. Todoroki, you have quite a lot of friends in the brigade –"

"Yeah, it's ironic, but, listen –"

"It must be interesting to hear about their stories huh? I wonder if -"

"Yaoyorozu."

His voice was stern and louder than usual. The surrounding people spun at him with unwanted eyes for a second and he saw the colour leave her face. The cafeteria lady didn't care, however, hands still juggling ladles and spoons while pestering the people in the queue.

His eyes widened at his own sudden outburst and mumbled an apology before continuing.

"Well the fire wasn't caused by the people in the house, it was from someone outside." He saw her looking at him skeptically. Todoroki didn't want to bring up Kaminari's full story; it will either frighten her if the arsonist was really just targeting point blank or it will make her worry for her neighbor if the suspect _does_ have a motive.

Momo held her response and waited until both of them gathered their utensil, picked up their curry and rice, spilling over the plate, before ensconcing in her seat.

She had a habit of straw-biting since young and so she did this for a bit over her carton of orange juice while Todoroki chewed on a carrot.

"That's…quite some information," She finally muttered and the pricks of her fork pierce a tender chunk of apple, "Don't worry about me, , I can take care of myself, but I really appreciate it."

"Well, if you and your family need a place to stay for a bit until the investigation is done, just let me know."

His offer came out a bit empty, the last words twisted with an accidental indifference, but she was used to this and knew it was just how he talked.

By now, Momo could see his emotions through the way his pupils moved; Todoroki was one to barely speak and whenever he does, the message holds heavy the intention.

Though the beauty of his irises never ceased to stun her, and she thought then that she'd never get used to them.

And maybe right now she had stared for too long.

Momo proceeded to lower her head. "I'm staying at a close friend of mine right now, so it's all good."

There was something else she wasn't saying; the way she was twirling her spoon—he could just sense it.

"Glad to hear it. But really, don't need to tiptoe around me. If you have a problem, let me know."

The girl thanked him again, but doesn't utter another syllable after that.

* * *

When the sun set and the clouds dissipated across the horizon, Momo came home and could only taste metallic and see orange that lapped over the sky in layers like the oil painting her mother had purchased from an auction when she was 8.

She pushed the key into its lock and after a twist, realized that Jirou had not come home yet. Her feet felt cold on the marble tiles and pondered whether she should take a quick nap before showering.

Her talk with Jirou the night before went well; Dabi was a nice guy. He took her home and for the short time before she slept, all she did was slump lazily on Jirou's bed while the latter drilled her about the date.

Momo concluded that she wanted to see him again, and so they were to meet the following Sunday.

She hadn't felt thrilled about anyone for a while.

At least, not since last year.

The door to the guest room that Jirou had prepared for her was left ajar and she pushed it with her back, opening it slightly and fell face first on her cotton pillow.

"Should I…?" She found herself saying it out loud to herself, pulling her phone out from her pocket. As if in a trance, she scrolled with her thumb to her coworker's name on the contact list and hovered over it.

 _Todoroki Shouto._

Momo's eyelids fluttered to a close, fingers rubbing circles on her temples. Like travelling back in time, she saw images and scenes, like a film, passing in front of her eyes.

Her science project in Grade 8. The trophy cabinet. Her family's first house. The house she had now. Full scholarship and acceptance letter from one of the finest Universities in the country. Her dad smiling. Her MCAT that she had failed.

The crash.

Her mom crying.

And it ends there. At least, she forced herself to end it there.

Momo sat up, thrusted the window open for fresh air as if she needed oxygen and felt the cool air flowing through her lungs. Freshening.

She took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall, refusing to let go the blanket under her trembling finger tips and realized for the first time in months, that she was choking in tears again.

Momo thought she had accepted it, but the turmoil still brewing inside her made her freeze up. Muscles recontracting, nerves tense.

She had to talk to someone.

Without a second thought, she pressed firmly on Todoroki's name and the other side of the phone rang.

Click.

"Hello? Yaoyorozu?"

Her throat was knotted but she managed.

"Doc-doctor Todoroki. Are-Are you off?"

His was clearly concerned, "Yeah. Yaoyorozu, what's wrong?"

"I just-" She paused, hand clutching onto her shirt to relieve herself, "I just need to tell you. Today, at lunch, when-"

Momo sniffed and heaved once, but was glad that her voice was less rocky now.

"When you asked whether my family and I had a place to stay-"

"Is your friend kicking you out?"

"No, definitely not."

"Then what is it?"

If she knew him well enough, he was probably doing his usual habit of pulling his bangs back whenever he was impatient.

She wiped a tear that was threatening to fall.

 _I can do this._

"My parents died last year. Both of them."

Todoroki didn't say a word as if knowing she wasn't done. And she wasn't.

"It bothered me, and knowing that I've never told you this before, I just really had to tell you. Today when you brought them up, it all came rushing back again," Momo knew she was rambling but didn't even try to stop, "The thing that occurred to me, and affected me the most, was that you actually _cared about me_. I felt so alone after they passed away. Jirou was the only one I had left, and even then, I-I-"

"Yaoyorozu, that's enough. Take a breath."

She followed his advice and heard him do it too.

"I understand. I mean, it's complicated." He blurted. "I'm always here, Yaoyorozu. I know full well how a person in grief from family affairs would feel."

The twinge of comfort settled into her and for a brief moment, she wanted to pour everything out.

"Thank you, again, I'm really grateful," she smiled into the phone and replied, "I won't bother you now, sorry for the sudden call."

"Ah, no problem." Todoroki's tone descended. "I'll see you soon. Get good rest."

"Yeah, see you. Thanks again for listening. Bye."

Momo ended the call, and hunched over her bent knees, focusing onto the specks of dust that was drifting through the last golden rays that went through the window.

She wondered whether he wanted to talk to her again as much as she wanted to talk to him.


End file.
